6.1 Establishing a New Science
Summary
TLDREmile Durkheim, a prominent French sociologist, is renowned for his significant contributions to the field of sociology. His interest in education and religion, influenced by his father's rabbinical background, shaped his sociological inquiries. Durkheim's work, particularly on suicide rates, demonstrated the social dimensions of seemingly individual acts, advocating for sociology as a necessary discipline to understand modern societal issues. He played a pivotal role in establishing sociology as an academic discipline, creating the first sociological journal, and authoring foundational texts, thus institutionalizing and professionalizing the field.
Takeaways
- 📜 Emile Durkheim was a renowned French sociologist who worked around the year 1900 and was the son of a rabbi.
- 👨🏫 Durkheim had a strong interest in the functions of education for society, not just for individuals.
- 🏛️ Before becoming a sociologist, Durkheim was a professor of education, possibly influenced by his family's religious background.
- 🌟 His fascination with religion was lifelong and culminated in his final book on the sociology of religious life.
- 🔍 Durkheim's background, including his father being a rabbi, influenced his sociological interests in group formation and identity.
- 🤔 He was particularly interested in group cohesion and was aware of anti-semitism, which may have been a personal concern.
- 🏛️ Durkheim played a pivotal role in institutionalizing sociology as an academic discipline within universities.
- 📈 He focused on phenomena like suicide to demonstrate sociology's relevance and ability to address modern societal issues.
- 📚 Durkheim was instrumental in establishing sociology as a new science with its own theories, methodologies, and academic infrastructure.
- 🏆 He was the first European professor of sociology, created the first sociological journal, and wrote a foundational handbook on sociological method.
Q & A
Who is Emile Durkheim and what is his significance in sociology?
-Emile Durkheim was a famous French sociologist who worked around the year 1900. He is significant for his sociological theories and for institutionalizing sociology as an academic discipline in universities.
What was Durkheim's initial academic role before becoming a sociologist?
-Before his academic role expanded to sociology, Durkheim was a professor of education, showing his interest in didactic questions.
How did Durkheim's family background influence his sociological interests?
-Durkheim's family background, particularly being the son of a rabbi, stimulated his sociological interest in group formation, group identity, moral consciousness of a collectivity, and group cohesion.
What was the focus of Durkheim's final book?
-Durkheim's final book was entirely dedicated to the sociology of religious life, reflecting his lifelong fascination with religion.
How did Durkheim contribute to the establishment of sociology as an academic discipline?
-Durkheim contributed by transforming sociology into an academic endeavor, creating the first sociological journal, writing a sociological handbook, and becoming the first European professor of sociology.
What was the attitude of other scientists towards the introduction of sociology as a new academic discipline during Durkheim's time?
-Other scientists were skeptical about sociology as a new academic discipline, believing that the field of social phenomena was already covered by existing sciences like psychology and mathematics.
Why was Durkheim interested in the study of suicide?
-Durkheim was interested in the study of suicide because he believed it demonstrated the need for sociology to understand social phenomena and the problems of modern society.
How did Durkheim use the topic of suicide to argue for the relevance of sociology?
-Durkheim used suicide rates to show that it is a social phenomenon, and sociologists can predict and understand it at a societal level, thus highlighting the value of sociology.
What was Durkheim's approach to selecting topics for his sociological studies?
-Durkheim chose topics that would demonstrate the value and relevance of sociology as a science capable of understanding and solving social problems typical of modernity.
What were some of the challenges Durkheim faced in institutionalizing sociology?
-Durkheim faced challenges such as skepticism from other scientists and the need to present a sound theoretical argument to show the necessity of sociology as a new science for modern Western societies.
What are some of the key achievements of Durkheim in the field of sociology?
-Durkheim's key achievements include being the first European professor of sociology, creating the first sociological journal, writing the sociological handbook 'The Rules of Sociological Method,' and contributing to the professionalization of sociology.
Outlines
📚 Emile Durkheim: Sociology's Pioneer and Theorist
This paragraph introduces Emile Durkheim, a renowned French sociologist who worked around the year 1900. It discusses his background as the son of a rabbi, which may have influenced his interest in religion and his focus on group formation, identity, and cohesion. Durkheim's work on the sociology of education and his efforts to establish sociology as an academic discipline are highlighted. His book on the sociology of religious life is mentioned, as well as his role in institutionalizing sociology by creating the first sociological journal, 'L'Année Sociologique,' and writing 'The Rules of Sociological Method,' which served as a sociological handbook. The paragraph emphasizes Durkheim's dedication to demonstrating the value of sociology in understanding and addressing the social problems of modern society.
🔬 Institutionalizing Sociology: Durkheim's Theoretical Contributions
The second paragraph delves into Durkheim's efforts to institutionalize and professionalize sociology. It underscores the importance of his theoretical arguments in persuading modern Western societies of the necessity for sociology as a new science. The paragraph also mentions his work on the phenomenon of suicide, which he used to illustrate the social nature of what is often considered a personal act. Durkheim's success in establishing sociology as a university discipline, complete with its own theories, methodologies, faculty, and academic publications, is noted. The paragraph concludes by recognizing Durkheim's significant role in shaping the field of sociology and its acceptance as a vital academic discipline.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Emile Durkheim
💡Sociology
💡Education
💡Religion
💡Group Cohesion
💡Anti-Semitism
💡Academic Discipline
💡Suicide
💡Social Phenomena
💡Institutionalizing Sociology
💡Modern Society
Highlights
Emile Durkheim, a French sociologist, was the son of a rabbi and had a lifelong fascination with religion.
Durkheim was interested in the functions of education for society as a whole.
He was a professor of education before becoming a sociologist, which influenced his interest in didactic questions.
Durkheim's family background, including ancestors who were rabbis, may have influenced his sociological interests.
His final book was dedicated to the sociology of religious life, reflecting his interest in group formation and identity.
Durkheim's work on group cohesion and awareness of anti-Semitism was influenced by his background.
He played a crucial role in institutionalizing sociology as an academic discipline.
Before Durkheim, sociology was practiced outside of universities by non-academics.
After his death, sociology became a recognized academic discipline in the Western world.
Durkheim was part of a generation that brought sociology into universities and transformed it into an academic endeavor.
Other scientists were initially skeptical about sociology as a new academic discipline.
Durkheim's work on suicide demonstrated the need for sociology to understand social phenomena.
He believed sociology could predict social issues like suicide rates in various groups.
Durkheim chose topics to show the value and relevance of sociology as a science addressing modern social problems.
He fought for the introduction of sociology as a university discipline with its own theories and methodologies.
Durkheim was the first European professor of sociology and created the first sociological journal.
He wrote 'The Rules of Sociological Method', a sociological handbook, in 1895.
Durkheim was instrumental in institutionalizing and professionalizing sociology.
He presented theoretical arguments to show the necessity of sociology for modern Western societies.
Transcripts
you should not forget that I am the son
of rabbi that is a sentence from a
letter written by Emile Durkheim the
famous French sociologist worked around
the year 1900 Duke M I tried to
pronounce his name the French way but
maybe I will forget it later and give it
a more German sound
Duke M was very interested in teaching
in the functions of Education not just
for children or adults but for society
at large
before his academic task was expanded
with teaching sociology Durham was a
professor of education and his interest
in didactic questions may have something
to do with his father and a few other
ancestors many of whom were rabbis to
the small sentence about his father may
also help us understand why Durham had
this lifelong fascination with religion
culminating in his final book that was
entirely dedicated to the sociology of
religious life yes he was the son of a
rabbi the spiritual leader of a
religious minority group in a small
village in northeastern France and these
among other things must have stimulated
his sociological interest in group
formation in group identity the moral
consciousness of a collectivity it
certainly triggered his lifelong
interest in group cohesion and it also
made him aware of anti-semitism of
course Emil Duke M is important for the
sociological theories that he offered us
but we should not forget his role in
institutionalizing sociology before he
was born in 1858 sociology was practiced
outside of the university by amateurs
and aristocrats revolutionaries and
engineers but it was not yet an academic
discipline after his death in 1917
sociology became an academic discipline
that students everywhere in the Western
world could choose to study
starting with an introductory course and
ending of course with the graduation
ceremony now Durkheim belongs to a
generation of thinkers who brought
sociology in to the university who
transformed it into an academic endeavor
and that was not at all an easy task
because the professors of the other
sciences rather skeptical about this
newcomer in Dickens days for example the
scientists who were interested in the
psychology of maths behavior believed
that they adequately covered the field
of the social phenomena and that a new
science was superfluous Duke M didn't
agree at all he saw it as his task to
show that sociology has a field all of
its own
Duke M for example was interested in the
phenomenon of suicides and one of the
reasons was that he believes that
suicide figures make clear why we need
sociology to understand the problems of
modern society he says suicide seems to
be the most personal act that you can
imagine often prepared in utter
loneliness an act of desperation and
especially of isolation but when you
look at large numbers then you can see
that suicide is a social phenomenon and
that the sociologists can predict the
number of suicide cases in a certain
year a certain region a certain age
cohort a certain professional group even
in a certain religious group so in
choosing his topics Durkheim never lost
sight of his intention to show the value
and the relevance of sociology as a new
science that can help us to understand
and to solve social problems that are
typical of modernity
and when I present Duke M here I will
look at his work from the vantage point
of this self a post task to fight for
the introduction of sociology as one of
the university disciplines new science
with its own brand
of theories and methodologies and
therefore also a science with its own
faculty members and its own professors
and teachers its own handbooks its own
journals and let us not forget that he
was very successful in this regard
duChemin was the first European
professor of sociology in 1913 he
created the first sociological journal
lanessa logic in 1898 he wrote a kind of
sociological handbook the rules of
sociological method 1895 in short he was
very very instrumental in the process of
institutionalizing and professionalizing
sociology but in order to achieve that
goal
one must present a sound theoretical
argument to show that people in modern
Western societies really need such a new
science Duke M developed the arguments
that we still today use when we speak
about the science of sociology
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